Illumination optical apparatus and projection exposure apparatus
First Claim
1. A projection exposure apparatus which projects an image of a pattern on a first object onto a second object, the projection exposure apparatus comprising:
- an illumination optical system which illuminates the first object with illumination light, the illumination optical system comprising a polarization controlling member, a light limiting member, a birefringent member and an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light on an incidence side of a pupil plane of the illumination optical system and in order along a traveling direction of the illumination light; and
a projection optical system, arranged between the first object and the second object, that projects the image of the pattern illuminated with the illumination light onto the second object, whereinthe polarization controlling member is capable of changing a polarization state of the illumination light entering into the polarization controlling member in a substantially single polarization state into a linear polarization state having a substantially single polarization direction, the linear polarization state being different from the single polarization state,the light limiting member substantially limits an incidence angle range of the illumination light relative to the first object, andthe birefringent member converts the polarization state of the illumination light from the polarization controlling member so that the first object is irradiated with the illumination light in a polarization state consisting primarily of S-polarization.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An illumination optical apparatus and projection exposure apparatus capable of reducing a light quantity loss when a mask is illuminated with a polarized illumination light. An illumination optical system for illuminating a reticle with an illumination light and a projection optical system for projecting the pattern image of the reticle onto a wafer are provided. An illumination light emitted from an exposure light source in a linearly polarized state in the illumination optical system passes through first and second birefringent members having different fast axis directions and is converted into a polarized state that is substantially linearly polarized in a circumferential direction with the optical axis as the center in an almost specific annular area, and them illuminates the reticle under an annular illuminating condition after passing through a fly-eye lens.
272 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A projection exposure apparatus which projects an image of a pattern on a first object onto a second object, the projection exposure apparatus comprising:
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an illumination optical system which illuminates the first object with illumination light, the illumination optical system comprising a polarization controlling member, a light limiting member, a birefringent member and an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light on an incidence side of a pupil plane of the illumination optical system and in order along a traveling direction of the illumination light; and a projection optical system, arranged between the first object and the second object, that projects the image of the pattern illuminated with the illumination light onto the second object, wherein the polarization controlling member is capable of changing a polarization state of the illumination light entering into the polarization controlling member in a substantially single polarization state into a linear polarization state having a substantially single polarization direction, the linear polarization state being different from the single polarization state, the light limiting member substantially limits an incidence angle range of the illumination light relative to the first object, and the birefringent member converts the polarization state of the illumination light from the polarization controlling member so that the first object is irradiated with the illumination light in a polarization state consisting primarily of S-polarization. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An illumination optical apparatus which illuminates a pattern on a first object with illumination light, the illumination optical apparatus comprising:
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an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light on an incidence side of a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus; a polarization controlling member arranged in the optical path of the illumination light on an incidence side of the optical integrator, which is capable of changing a polarization state of the illumination light entering into the polarization controlling member in a substantially single polarization state into a linear polarization state having a substantially single polarization direction, the linear polarization state being different from the single polarization state; a light limiting member arranged in the optical path between the polarization controlling member and the optical integrator, which substantially limits an incidence angle range of the illumination light relative to the first object; and a birefringent member arranged in the optical path between the light limiting member and the optical integrator, which converts the polarization state of the illumination light from the polarization controlling member so that the first object is irradiated with the illumination light in a polarization state consisting primarily of S-polarization. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification